Target for martial arts training

ABSTRACT

A martial arts training target device for attachment to a heavy punching bag. The target includes a foam body that has a solid reinforcement member embedded in the foam. The target includes at least one strap that includes a mechanism for securing the strap around a heavy punching bag.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a target for use in martial arts training that may be attached to a heavy punching bag used in practicing mixed martial arts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Mixed martial arts (MMA) is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. It has been common to practice self defense techniques with a training partner, using either no body contact at all or some degree of contact, but with a range of padding accessories worn by both partners to protect both partners against injury. A person involved in MMA may not always have a willing and capable partner available when the person wants to practice. Further, it may be preferable to teach and practice many MMA skills without using a human opponent.

A device that can be used in the teaching and practice of MMA is commonly referred to as a heavy punching bag. Punching bags have been used in martial arts for the entire written history of military training. The design of a punching bag allows it to take repeated and constant physical abuse without breaking. The punching bag must also absorb the impact of blows, without causing harm to the user. There are different types of punching bags, with different names based on their size, use and mounting method. Almost all punching bags are covered with leather or synthetic materials such as vinyl, or even canvas, that resist abrasion. A heavy bag is a large cylindrical bag, usually suspended by chains or ropes for practicing powerful body punches and kicks. Heavy bags may be mounted on a weighted pedestal rather than being hung from above, and these heavy bags are referred to as pedestal bags or tower bags. A shortcoming of a heavy punching bag is that there is no target emulating the head of an opponent at which a user can aim punches and kicks. If a target were to be merely painted on the heavy punching bag it would not emulate the experience of contacting the head of an actual opponent. Furthermore a target painted on a heavy punching bag would not be easily adapted to the height of a particular opponent, such a feature would require changing the position of the entire heavy punching bag, which would be time and energy consuming if it could be conveniently done.

DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART

Targets that may be attached to a heavy punching bag using straps are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,191 A; U.S. Pat. No. 6,063,011 A; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,831,B1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There is provided in accordance with the present invention a target for use in martial arts training comprising: a foam body having a front side and a rear side; a solid reinforcement member embedded in the foam body, the solid reinforcement member having a base portion and a head portion wherein a periphery of the head portion is greater than a periphery of the base portion that extends from the head, the base portion being exposed at the rear side of the foam body and the head portion being spaced apart from the front side of the foam body; a fabric cover fixed to the rear side of the foam body overlying the solid reinforcement member; and at least one strap fixed to the fabric cover, the strap having end portions provided with a means for fastening the strap to itself to secure the target to a heavy punching bag.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a target according to the present invention for attachment to a heavy punching bag.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the target of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded cross section view of the target of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross section of the target of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view, not to scale, of a subassembly of the target.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view, not to scale, of an alternative subassembly of a target of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a solid reinforcement member of a target of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the solid reinforcement member.

FIG. 9 is a top view the solid reinforcement member.

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of the solid reinforcement member.

FIG. 11 shows the target attached to a heavy punching bag.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The figures show an exemplary target 10 for attachment to a punching bag 38. The punching bag 38 shown in FIG. 11 is of a type commonly referred to as a heavy punching bag and is shown suspended from a structure (not shown) by at least one suspension member 40. It is understood that the target of the present invention may be used with a heavy punching bag which is a large cylindrical bag, usually suspended by chains or ropes for practicing body punches and kicks. The target of the present invention may also be used with a pedestal bag or tower bag which is a heavy punching bag mounted on a weighted pedestal rather than being hung from above.

FIG. 1 shows a front surface 12 of the foam body 13 of a target 10 that is an accessory for attachment to a punching bag to enhance a martial arts training activity. FIG. 2 is a side view of the target 10 of FIG. 1. The foam body 13 may be made of a suitable polymeric foam material that is molded, for example in a blow molding process to have a front surface provided with at least some of the facial features of a human. For example the front surface 12 of the foam body may present a nose 16 and a chin 18. The foam body should be of sufficient strength and resiliency to withstand the powerful blows and kicks that may be delivered to the target when a person is training to participate in a martial arts activity. As used herein and in the claims it is to be understood that a “front surface” of the foam body of a target refers to a surface of the foam body that is distal from a heavy punching bag when the target is secured to a heavy punching bag in an operative manner and the “rear surface” of the foam body of a target refers to a surface of the foam body that is proximal to a heavy punching bag when the target is secured to a heavy punching bag in an operative manner.

FIG. 3 is an exploded cross section view of the target of FIG. 1 and FIG. 4 is a cross section of the target of FIG. 1. The foam body 18 is preferably free of voids with the exception of a cavity 80 in which a solid reinforcement member 94 is embedded in the foam body of the target. The solid reinforcement member 94 comprises for example a polymeric material that is less compressible than the foam material that comprises the foam body 13. The solid reinforcement member has, as shown in FIGS. 7-10, a base portion 112 and a head portion 110. As best shown in FIG. 10, which is a bottom view of the solid reinforcement member 94, a periphery of the head portion 110 is greater than a periphery of the base portion 112 that extends from the head portion. In an exemplary target of the present invention the head portion 110 has a curvilinear periphery and the base portion 112 has a rectangular periphery. However, it is understood that peripheries of any suitable shape may be employed selected in accordance with good engineering practice. The base portion 112 solid reinforcement member 94 is exposed at the rear side of the foam body and the head portion 110 is spaced apart from the front side of the foam body and secured in place by a portion of the foam located between the head portion and the rear surface of the foam body.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view, not to scale, of a subassembly of the target shown in FIGS. 1-4 provided with two attachment straps 9, 11 and FIG. 6 is a schematic view, not to scale, of an alternative subassembly of a target of the present invention provided only with attachment strap 97. The subassembly comprises a fabric member 90 in the form of a cover fixed to the rear side of the foam body overlying the solid reinforcement member 94 as best shown in FIG. 4. The subassembly includes at least one strap 9, 11; 97 affixed to a side of the fabric cover that is distal from the foam body 18 when the subassembly is fixed to the foam body. Preferably a central portion of each strap 9, 11; 97 is affixed to the fabric cover 90 with stitches and a reinforcement strip 92 is stitched with the same stitches to the subassembly on a side of the fabric cover that is proximal to the foam body 18 when the subassembly is fixed to the foam body. In an exemplary target a side of each attachment strap that is distal from the fabric cover 90 is provided with a friction material such as an embossed polymer to enhance the grip of a strap to an exterior surface of a heavy punching bag when the target is assembled with a heavy punching bag. Each attachment strap 9, 11; 97 has end portions 15A. 15B; 17A, 17B; 102, 103 provided with a means for fastening the strap to itself to secure the target to a heavy punching bag. While any suitable means for fastening the strap to itself, including mating buckle components, in an exemplary target the means for fastening the strap to itself comprises mating hook and loop components fixed to the end portions end portions 15A. 15B; 17A, 17B; 102, 103 of the straps. In an exemplary target of the present invention the fabric member 90 in the form of a cover and the reinforcement strip 92 comprise a woven fabric provided with interwoven fiberglass and metallic fibers. In an exemplary target of the present invention the fabric member 90 in the form of a cover is fixed to the rear surface of the foam body with a suitable adhesive, but it is understood that the fabric member, and thus the entire subassembly including the attachment straps may be fixed to the rear surface of the foam body in any suitable manner selected in accordance with good engineering practices.

Referring now to FIG. 11 it may be seen that at least one strap 97 extends around and secures the target 10 to the heavy punching bag by forming the strap into a closed loop that cinches the target to the heavy punching bag while the effective length of the strap is maintained by the hook and loop fastening system or similar means for securing. The front surface 12 of that may have molded features of a human face such as a nose 16 and a chin 18 is disposed distal from the heavy punching bag 38. The location of the target 10 with respect to the height of the heavy punching bag 38 may be adjusted to present the target at a variety of heights. A person using the device that wishes to practice kicks or punches directed to the nose 16 or chin 18 of a potential opponent of a particular height can do so by simply choosing an appropriate location of the target 10 and securing the strap 97, or straps, on the heavy punching bag 38.

Inasmuch as the foam body 13 of the target is compressible and a person may strike a blow or kick of great force to the target the target could be so compressed as to become displaced on the heavy punching bag. The solid reinforcement member embedded in the foam body with the structure shown and described and located in the foam body as shown and described herein transmits much of the force of a blow or kick directly to the heavy punching bag in a manner that causes deformation of the heavy punching bag in a fairly focused manner and at least greatly reduces the problem of displacement of a target with respect to the heavy punching bag. No such structure is known to exist in the prior art.

It will be seen that the advantages set forth above, and those made apparent from the foregoing description, are efficiently attained and since certain changes may be made in the above construction without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall there between. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A target for use in martial arts training comprising: a foam body having a front side and a rear side; a solid reinforcement member embedded in the foam body, the solid reinforcement member having a base portion and a head portion wherein a periphery of the head portion is greater than a periphery of the base portion that extends from the head, the base portion being exposed at the rear side of the foam body and the head portion being spaced apart from the front side of the foam body; a fabric cover fixed to the rear side of the foam body overlying the solid reinforcement member; and at least one strap fixed to the fabric cover, the strap having end portions provided with a means for fastening the strap to itself to secure the target to a heavy punching bag.
 2. The target for use in martial arts training according to claim 1 wherein the front side of the foam body presents a nose.
 3. The target for use in martial arts training according to claim 1 wherein the front side of the foam body presents a chin.
 4. The target for use in martial arts training according to claim 1 wherein the front side of the foam body presents a nose and a chin.
 5. The target for use in martial arts training according to claim 1 wherein the at least one strap is fixed to the fabric cover by stitches.
 6. The target for use in martial arts training according to claim 1 wherein the fabric cover is fixed to the rear side of the foam body by an adhesive.
 7. The target for use in martial arts training according to claim 1 wherein the at least one strap has end portions that are provided with a hook and loop fastening system.
 8. The martial arts training device of claim 1 assembled with a heavy punching bag wherein the strap extends around to punching bag and secures the target to the heavy punching bag by forming the strap into a closed loop that cinches the target to the heavy punching bag.
 9. The target for use in martial arts training according to claim 1 assembled with a heavy punching bag wherein the at least one strap extends around the heavy punching bag and secures the target to the heavy punching bag by forming the strap into a closed loop that cinches the target to the heavy punching with the end portions of the at least one strap fixed to one another and the front surface of the foam body disposed distal from the heavy punching bag. 